


Not Quite Hallmark

by giantpanda



Series: Moments in Time [4]
Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, F/M, Fix-It, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29403315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giantpanda/pseuds/giantpanda
Summary: Neil helps his girls make Valentine’s Day cards for their classmates.
Relationships: Claire Browne/Neil Melendez
Series: Moments in Time [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751104
Comments: 14
Kudos: 26





	Not Quite Hallmark

Neil sat at the table watching as the girls collected the materials needed to make Valentine’s Day cards for their classmates. They had already brought out construction paper, scissors, crayons, glue and his least favorite glitter. He thought they had everything they needed but they had gone back to their rooms to grab some stickers. Shaking his head, he knew he was in for a long night. Cassie had twenty-four kids in her class, while Natasha had twenty. He had been outvoted about going to the store and buying cards. The girls ran back in and dumped their supplies on the table.

Cassie looking at all the stuff they had brought out, asked, “Why do we have to give out cards just because it’s Valentine’s Day?” She turned to look at him, “It’s a stupid holiday, and you shouldn’t need an excuse to tell people you care about them.”

He looked away so she wouldn’t see the smile on his face. It was an argument he heard from Claire every year when he wanted to do something special for the day. He wondered if Cassie had overheard them talking about it.

“If you don’t want to make cards, you don’t have to,” he told her.

She gave him a look like she thought that suggestion was crazy. “Daddy, of course I have to, I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“She’s right,” Natasha continued. “Michelle said that she was only give cards to those who were her friends.” Both girls looked at him like that was the worst thing someone could do. “But I told her it wasn’t nice, and you need to give one to everyone.”

“A card from us might be the only thing that makes them happy that day.”

He held up his hands in surrender, “You’re right. Do you have your class lists?”

They looked at each other and took off running back to their rooms to get it from their bookbags. Shaking his head, he couldn’t help but think about how much they sounded like Claire. Even though she was vocal in her dislike of the holiday, she was always the first one to step up to do something for the patients at the hospital. He heard her coming in from her shift and looked forward to roping her into helping them with the cards as well.

“Hey,” she said, coming in and kissing him. “What’s all this?”

“Valentine’s day cards,” he said, grinning as she made a face. He pulled her down to sit on his lap. “Our girls are just like you.”

She glanced at the table, “This seems more like something you’d do.”

“No,” he argued. “They’re anti-Valentine’s day but want to make everyone else happy, just like you.”

“I don’t know,” she teased, “I see the glitter, that lets me know they used their Melendez charm to get what they wanted.”

He couldn’t deny the accusation. There wasn’t much he would say no to when it came to their girls. And he knew he would regret it when he was the one who got stuck cleaning up all the glitter that would end up everywhere. She rested her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

“You feeling okay?” he asked softly. 

They had recently found out that Claire was pregnant again. It had been a pleasant surprise, although he worried about her constantly. Her morning sickness with both girls had been horrible, but it seemed so much worse this time around. She told him she thought it was because she was getting older but had promised at her next appointment that they would bring it up with the doctor.

“The usual,” she said, “Nauseous and exhausted. I think I just have to accept this will be how I will feel every day for the next few months.”

“Do you want to go lay down and get some rest?”

“And miss out on all this fun,” she said, “No, I’ll be okay. No promises I won’t crash later.”

“As long as you eat something first.”

“I’ll try.”

He heard the girls running towards them before he saw them and sighed as Claire slid off his lap and pulled over a chair, so she was sitting beside him. He wished she would rest as he took in how pale she looked and clearly exhausted. He wondered if he would be able to convince her to take a few days off work.

“Mommy,” they both yelled as they saw Claire sitting at the table. They ran towards her to give her a hug. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the three of them together.

“How do you want to start?” she asked them.

Cassie turned to her, “We don’t need any help, we got it.”

“Okay,” she said.

Neil wrapped his arm around Claire, drawing her closer. She rested her head against his shoulder as they watched the girls, ready to step in if necessary. However, they seemed to have it under control. They always loved arts and crafts, so it wasn’t a surprise that they ended up enjoying making the cards. He watched as they helped each other and felt as if his heart would burst with love watching the way their daughters interreacted with each other. He knew they were lucky that, for the most part, they got along so well with each other.

As Natasha reached for the glitter, Neil put his hand out to stop her, “Why don’t you let me do that part?”

“No, we have to do it because if not people are going to know that you did it and it wouldn’t be our work,” Cassie, said, putting her hands on her hips. “If we’re going to be forced into making Valentine’s cards, then at least we should be able to do them the way we want to.” 

He whispered to Claire, “That girl is all you.”

She shrugged against him, clearing not minding that Cassie took after her. He moved his hand away from the glitter, wincing as Natasha dumped half the bottle on her card.

“Sweetie,” Claire said, “Try not to use so much or you won’t have enough to make all the cards sparkle.”

“Thanks mommy,” she said, as she tried to put some of the glitter back.

They watched as the girls continued to make their cards. He thought that Claire had fallen asleep against him, but every once in a while, she would say something to the kids. After what felt like hours, the girls finished their cards, and spread them out to dry. Some were going to take much longer than others with the amount of glue and glitter. He stood up to check over them to make sure each had their classmates’ names and their name on them. 

“These look great,” he told them. 

“Thank you,” Cassie said beaming.

“Thanks daddy,” Natasha said.

They both looked at him as if they were waiting to see if he was going to make them help with clean up. He glanced over the mess on the table and knew there would be an even bigger one if they tried to help clean up.

“I’ll take care of the mess,” he told them earning him matching smiles. He watched as they both ran out of the room and into their play room.

Claire stood and come over to start helping him clean up. He pulled her towards him, brushing a gentle kiss against her forehead.

“I got this, you go rest.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go.”

The girls came back in holding one of their books, “Mommy will you read with us,” Cassie asked.

“Of course,” she said taking the book from them.

Neil watched as they headed towards the living room. Sighing, he got to work cleaning up. He could hear the three of them giggling together as Claire read the story to them. It didn’t take long to organize the construction paper and pick up all the scraps of paper. He placed their stickers in a pile and put all the crayons back in their containers. Glitter was everywhere and took him longer to clean up. He was sure he’d be finding it all over the place for the next few days. He told himself that he needed to be more like Claire with the glitter and tell them they didn’t have any.

Once he was finally done cleaning up, he went to join them in the living room, stopping in the doorway to watch them. Claire was in the middle with the girls curled up against her on either side. He thought about how next Valentine’s day they would have another child with them. He had always wanted a family, had always dreamed of being a father, but the family he had was better than what he had ever imagined. Once Claire finished the story, the girls got up and went to their play room to play together until dinner.

She looked over at him watching from the doorway. She motioned for him to come join her. Sitting down beside her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

“How bad was the glitter?” she asked, reaching up to remove some glitter from his face.

“Bad,” he answered, “But not as bad as that time Natasha knocked over all four bottles.”

She cringed, “That was a disaster.” She snuggled closer to him. “You could always stop buying it for them.”

He gently caressed her arm. “”I’ll think about it,” he said, knowing he wouldn’t stop when the girls enjoyed it so much.

She shook her head, “It’s a good thing you got used to a little mess.”

“It’s worth it to see them so happy.” His hand drifted to rest against her stomach. “It’s sweet that they wanted to make their classmates happy.”

“We do have some pretty amazing girls.”

“Just like their mom.” He didn’t have to see her to know she was rolling her eyes at him.

“No,” she disagreed, “They’re the best of both of us.”

They sat together quietly enjoying each other’s company.

He turned to brush a kiss against the top of her head, “Go to sleep.”

“I just might,” she mumbled against him, her arm wrapping around him.

With Claire resting in his arms, and their girls playing together in the other room, he couldn’t imagine a better life. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! I hope you enjoyed it!!


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